Not much progress in talks between Waynesboro school board and teachers

August 03, 2011|By JENNIFER FITCH | waynesboro@herald-mail.com

Herald-Mail file photo

WAYNESBORO, Pa. — The latest contract negotiation session between the Waynesboro Area School Board and its teachers union did little to break the stalemate.

The school board and Waynesboro Area Education Association have been negotiating a new contract since early 2010. Both sides met Wednesday for the first time since June 1.

"Neither side made any new proposals. ... We discussed where we are and rationalized our positions," said Richard Galtman, an attorney serving as lead negotiator for the school board.

The teachers' contract expired at the end of the 2009-10 school year.

Today marks "the 400th day since the contract expired between Waynesboro's teachers and the school board," union lead negotiator Mike Engle wrote in an email.

In Wednesday's session, Engle said WAEA clarified its salary proposal for 0 percent for the 2010-11 academic year. It suggested teachers move steps and be reclassified in pay categories in the last pay period of that year.

For years two and three, the union has proposed 2.4 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, with a furlough day and step movement.

"The district continues to propose three years without a raise, with step movement only in the middle of years two and three," Engle wrote. "This will cause our salary schedule to fall thousands of dollars behind neighboring school districts, making it difficult to attract the best teachers for our children's classrooms."

"It's not about what other districts are doing, what they're able to do," Galtman said, noting the board continues to face serious financial constraints.